The present invention concerns an automatic feeding device for feeding animals, preferably pigs, comprising a funnel-shaped feed hopper having a lower outlet connected to a dispensing unit to be actuated by noses of the animals when eating feed from a feed plate below the dispensing unit, the device comprising a disc-shaped element disposed transversely of the outlet of the hopper and having an area substantially corresponding to the area of the outlet.
DK utility model 94 00446 discloses a feeding device of the kind mentioned in the introduction. When an animal is hungry it pushes the lower end of the tube so that feed flows out on the feed plate. The lower end of the tube, which is a loose sleeve, is fastened to the control rod. This sleeve is arranged only for pendulum movement. This does not provide sure dosing of feed to animals of different sizes. As precise adjustment of the sleeve is difficult, dosage of small amounts for piglets will be particularly difficult.
From WO 93 13652 is known a feeding device for feeding pigs, having a distance adjusting mechanism connecting the upper end of the tubular feed hopper and a stationary construction member. This device functions by the animal, when hungry, presses its snout against the tube for moving it so that feed flows out from the tube.
A feeding device of the above kind has functioned particularly satisfactorily but certain disadvantages have appeared. Thus it appears to be difficult to provide a resilient tube having sufficient elasticity for smaller animals as, for example, piglets. Thus it will be difficult to adjust the feeding device optimally according to the force with which piglets may actuate the tube, and furthermore it will be costly to make such a device as resilient material for making the tube is relatively expensive. Furthermore, with very resilient tubes it will be difficult to dispense the feed in a secure and simple way.
DE patent 26 52 788 discloses another automatic feeding device where a relatively short tube piece is connected with a funnel-shaped hopper. In this construction, flexibility is achieved by means of a funnel-shaped sleeve connecting the hopper with the feed tube. Regulation of the discharged amount of feed is difficult in this construction as the entire hopper has to be displaced up and down on a frame. Furthermore, it will be difficult to regulate the amount of feed in a sufficiently simple and secure way as the yieldability in the tube will depend on the degree of filling and the amount of feed situated in the funnel-shaped sleeve.
Particularly when feeding piglets with feed having a large content of milk powder or particle-formed material, as for example ground grain, where fat has been absorbed in melted state, there is great risk that the feed gets lumpy and clogs the tube or the hopper. By the prior art constructions, no effective solution to this problem has been indicated.